Home Insurance in Imperial County, California
With a median home value of $309,600, Imperial County is 58% lower than the California median.
Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them. The typical home in Imperial County was built around 1988. About 15% of homes were built before 1960, about 11 points below California's 27%.
The housing stock in Imperial County is 65% single-family homes, 16% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 9% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
59% of owner-occupied homes in Imperial County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 57% of occupied homes in Imperial County are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 14%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
55% of homes in Imperial County are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists earthquake (Relatively High), inland flooding (Relatively High) and wildfire (Relatively Low) as the leading hazards for Imperial County. Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake, so separate coverage is usually needed.
Imperial County had 44 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California carries a statewide average premium of $1,655 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $309,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Owner-occupied share | 57% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Earthquake (Relatively High), Inland Flooding (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 44 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Smaller communities
-
El Centro
- Median home value: $323,100
- Median year built: 1982
- Owner-occupied share: 49%
-
Westmorland
- Median home value: $310,200
- Median year built: 1979
- Owner-occupied share: 49%
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)